Five Benefits for Education of Plush-Style Toys

More often than not, the first toy a child becomes closely attached to is a teddy bear or some other form of stuffed animal. This is a fact that has been capitalized by numerous stores who carry large selections of plush-style toys and even businesses specializing in nothing but these types of toys. While adults may merely see these toys as cute and cuddly, for children there can be a much deeper meaning and benefit to having one of these stuffed companions.

    Children of all ages can develop a fondness for stuffed animals that goes beyond most of their other toys. Along the same lines as an “imaginary friend,” these particular toys give children a feeling of companionship and a sense of not being alone. In addition, there are educational benefits as well.

Newborns

    Stuffed animals typically have several different textures which can be beneficial for small babies who are learning about the world around them. Everything from soft fur, to harder surfaces like the eyes or noses on stuffed animals can help little ones learn about textures and surfaces. Some stuffed animals such as the LeKooky Baby Sheep Plush can educate babies on sounds as well. The Lekooky Baby Sheep Plush has a sound box which can play Brahms Lullaby and Rockabye Baby as well as several calming sounds (Fan Noise, White Noise, Shushes Sound and Mother’s Heartbeat). These sounds can help little ones begin to understand music and the calming sounds can assist with proper sleep for the child.

Toddlers

    As small babies grow up into toddlers, stuffed animals provide a sort of science lab for the toddler to test and experience interaction, emotional expression, and emotional needs. They will name their stuffed animal, test out words and conversations with them, and continue experimenting with physical interaction such as hugs, tossing, even hitting or throwing. For this reason, stuffed animal toys need to be durable. When considering a purchase, look for products like the LeKooky Baby Sheep Plush which are proven to hold up to the type of rough use through which a toddler will put it.

Preschool

    At this stage children begin to experiment much more with their imaginations. Appearance becomes less important at this point as children use their imagination to turn a plush sheep into a princess or a spaceship captain. Durability is still important, however, and additional features like Lekooky Baby Sheep Plush’s soft glow light on the toy’s belly can assist in the child’s imaginative play by becoming more than just a night light; it might instead be a magical power of the child’s created persona for the toy.

School Age

    Beginning at roughly five years old, children are often preoccupied with relating games to new structures and people in their lives. Plush toys often take on even larger personas, becoming a class of fellow students, or an audience, or even a group of opponents for the child to defeat. While children do tend to outgrow a lot of things during this time in their lives, they may remain strongly attached to these types of toys, still sleeping with them to retain feelings of security at night. At this stage toys like the LeKooky Baby Sheep Plush that feature a night light or calming sounds can still be extremely helpful for the child.

Older Children

    For older children, stuffed animals provide different benefits. Many children learn varying degrees of economics by collecting stuffed animals. Some children can learn responsibility through saving for new toys they wish to collect. Many older children still use stuffed animals as props in their own imagination as well. The stories and games may evolve and change from when they were younger, but the toys still retain their role in these games and stories.

    If you are considering purchasing a stuffed animal for your child, make sure you are purchasing one which will hold up to any stage in your child’s development. In addition, extra features such as those found with the Lekooky Baby Sheep Plush (sound box, night light), can all be important things to look for. Most importantly, make sure the toy is one your child will use and enjoy through many years of their development.